Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuba and United States Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuba and United States

Name: United States
Address: US

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $963 in Cuba versus $2,642 in United States.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,318 in Cuba versus $3,857 in United States.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in Cuba versus $5,072 in United States.

Living in Cuba costs about 64% less than in United States on average.

Cuba (28% below) and United States (98% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,335 to $5,182, compared to $23.00–$1,622 in Cuba. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.98 CUP 143

$19.63 $19.63

-69.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.04 CUP 601

$75.4 $75.4

-66.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 CUP 168

$11.57 $11.57

-39.67%

Cappuccino

$1.70 CUP 40.77

$5.22 $5.22

-67.43%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 CUP 47.93

$2.49 $2.49

-19.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 CUP 29.73

$2.06 $2.06

-39.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 CUP 46.81

$5.91 $5.91

-67.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 CUP 59.1

$7.13 $7.13

-65.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.91 CUP 69.8

$1.09 $1.09

166.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 CUP 28.07

$3.56 $3.56

-67.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 CUP 49.80

$4.74 $4.74

-56.33%

Eggs

$3.16 CUP 75.9

$4.34 $4.34

-27.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 CUP 144

$12.68 $12.68

-52.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 CUP 132

$12.28 $12.28

-55.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 CUP 268

$16.60 $16.60

-32.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 CUP 106

$5.16 $5.16

-14.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CUP 28.80

$1.70 $1.70

-29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 CUP 36.17

$4.45 $4.45

-66.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 CUP 38.74

$4.80 $4.80

-66.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 CUP 42.64

$2.93 $2.93

-39.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 CUP 60.8

$3.09 $3.09

-18.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 CUP 20.91

$2.22 $2.22

-60.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 CUP 24.53

$2.25 $2.25

-54.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 CUP 84.8

$9.90 $9.90

-64.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 CUP 243

$15.28 $15.28

-33.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 CUP 49.05

$1.91 $1.91

6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 CUP 49.11

$3.58 $3.58

-42.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 CUP 4.47

$2.46 $2.46

-92.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.40 CUP 538

$64.6 $64.6

-65.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 CUP 50.1

$3.77 $3.77

-44.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 CUP 11.42

$1.71 $1.71

-71.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.20 CUP 485

$30.08 $30.08

-32.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CUP 30.42

$0.96 $0.96

32.29%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$70.2K CUP 1.7M

$29.9K $29.9K

135.12%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$75.6K CUP 1.8M

$26.1K $26.1K

189.24%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$38.33 CUP 920

$210 $210

-81.76%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.45 CUP 851

$56.3 $56.3

-37.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$226 CUP 5,424

$72.9 $72.9

210.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.52 CUP 852

$45.39 $45.39

-21.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.43 CUP 298

$21.60 $21.60

-42.45%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$14.04 $14.04

-92.74%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$109 CUP 2,608

$1,377 $1,377

-92.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K CUP 315.5K

$22.4K $22.4K

-41.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.56 CUP 925

$52.7 $52.7

-26.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.52 CUP 757

$42.41 $42.41

-25.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.4 CUP 1,665

$91.8 $91.8

-24.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 CUP 1,667

$114 $114

-38.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 CUP 8,396

$1,765 $1,765

-80.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 CUP 12.7K

$1,462 $1,462

-63.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$897 CUP 21.5K

$2,849 $2,849

-68.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 CUP 14.9K

$2,369 $2,369

-73.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$361 CUP 8,672

$3,364 $3,364

-89.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$335 CUP 8,041

$2,665 $2,665

-87.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$36.32 CUP 872

$4,378 $4,378

-99.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.96

6.51

37.63%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cuba: July 13, 2026

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $271 in Cuba, $1,635 in United States. Capital cities: $365 in Havana vs $1,625 in Washington, MI.

National salary averages: $36.00 in Cuba, $4,500 in United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 503% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 217% more in United States.

Public transport is 56% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 12400% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cuba vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $823 per month in Cuba and $3,259 in United States, there's a 296% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Cuba: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States is consistently higher than in Cuba across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Cuba, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Cuba wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.